be more than two together without having any Command there then they chuse their Quarters according to their standing And next to the Marshals of France the Dukes and Peers take place for in Armies Dukes and Peers are Lodged always after Marshals of France But in following the Court out of an Army this Order is observed First their Majesties are Lodged then other Royal Persons then the Princes and Princesses then the Great Officers of the Crown after them the Dukes and Peers and lastly the Marshals of France The Chancellour is Lodged next after the Princes and in marking his Lodging the word Pour or for is used the meaning of which we have already explained Besides all which which are called the Ranks there are the Preferred of which we have spoken The Marshals and Harbingers of the Kings Lodgings are also employed by his Majesties special Command to provide Lodgings for the Assemblies of the States General of the Kingdom when any are called or for the States of any particular Province when the King is to be present at them as likewise for the Assemblies of the Clergy which is to be understood when they assemble in any other place but Paris for there no Lodgings are marked for them Likewise when the persons composing any Soveraign Courts or other publick Bodies are to meet at St. Denis in France by the Kings Order and according to Custom to assist at the Funeral Pomps or Solemnities made at the Burials or Anniversary Services for Kings Queens and Princes or Princesses of the Blood or others the Marshals and Harbingers of the Kings Lodgings go thither some dayes before to provide them Lodgings The King too usually sends the said Marshals and Harbingers of his Lodgings to meet Foreign Princes and Princesses that come into or pass through his Kingdom to order and prepare Lodgings for them every where as they pass The Title and Quality of Squires has been conferred and confirmed upon the Marshals and Harbingers in Ordinary of the Kings Lodgings by several Orders of the Council of State Next the Marshals and Harbingers of the Lodgings is the Captain of the Guides with his Company who is a necessary Officer in Journies Of the Captain of the Guides The Office of Captain of the Guides for the Conducting of his Majesty formerly enjoyed by one is now exercised by two Brothers who part between them the following Salary and Profits viz. 2000 l. Salary paid quarterly by the Treasurers of the Houshold 600 l. a Month extraordinary during any Voyage or Journey and 300 l. when the Court is at any of the Royal Houses they eat at the Kings Serdeau's or Water-Servers Table with the Gentlemen Waiters The Captain of the Guides when the King is on his march along the Country is always to keep by one of the Boots or Portals of the Kings Coach to be ready to tell his Majesty the names of the places Cities Castles Towns and Villages upon the Road if he ask them or resolve any other Question concerning them There are commonly at least two Guides on Horseback that wear the Kings Livery that ride a little before his Majesty to Conduct him and place themselves ordinarily at the head of the Light-Horse If there be any need of repairing the High-ways for the Kings Passage the Captain of the Guides usually lays out what is needful for that purpose and is repaid again at the Treasure-Royal For fear the Officers of the Goblet or of the Mouth should fail to come up to the place where the King is to eat when he is travelling along the Country the Captain of the Guides sometimes gives them notice in what part of the Way his Majesty has a mind to Dine He has power to settle Guides to Conduct his Majesty in every Town of the Kingdom and after he has given his Grants to the said Guides they are admitted as such before the Marshals of France These Guides wear the Kings Livery and are exempted from Billeting of Souldiers The Captain of the Guides is sworn by the High Constable of France when there is one or otherwise by the Eldest Marshal of France Of some other Officers necessary in Journies which depend on the Great Master of the Houshold viz. One Waggon-Master of the Kings Equipage that Conducts all the Equipage and commands all the Captains and takes his Orders from the Office of the Houshold This Office was Created in 1668. He has an allowance of 100 l. a Month out of the Chamber of Deniers when the Court is on its march along the Country and 50 l. a Month when it is at Paris and 400 l. besides extraordinary Wages for the extraordinary pains he takes for the Kings Service in doing what is order'd him by the Office allowed him upon the last Bill of every Quarter One Aid or Helping Waggon-Master whose Office was also Created the same year 1668. who has when the Court is at Paris 25 l. a Month and when it is on the march 50 l. a Month allowed him at the Chamber of Deniers We have already spoken of the Captain of the Mules of the Chamber in speaking of the said Chamber of which he depends Two Captains of the Carriages of the Kings Houshold who have a Salary of 300 l. a piece paid by the Treasurers of the Houshold and besides at the Chamber of Deniers an allowance to them for the maintenance of fifty ordinary Horses at the rate of 23 d. a day for each Horse 57 l. 10 d. a day or 21045 l. a year They Conduct all the Carriages of the seven Offices when the Court marches either in Person or by their Servants One Captain-Keeper and Guardian-General of the Tents and Pavilions of the Court and of his Majesties Pavilions of War who has a Salary of 800 l. and 50 l. a Month extraordinary in time of Service and One Keeper of the Tents of the Courts of the Kitchins and of his Majesties Stables who is allowed 50 l. a Month at Paris and 100 l. a Month in the Country at the Chamber of Deniers CHAP. XX. Of the Judge of the Kings Court and Retinue who is the Provost of the Houshold or Great Provost of France THE Provost of the Kings Houshold or Great Provost of France is the ordinary Judge of the Kings Houshold The Title of Great Provost implies two things For first He is Judge of the Kings Houshold and Secondly He is Captain of a Company of a hundred Guards called the Guards of the Provostship which is another part of his Office in the Kings House We shall speak of him here only as in the first quality reserving the latter till we come to the Military Officers of the Houshold His Office is one of the ancientest of the Kings Houshold and one may say that in the Jurisdiction which he retains of administring Justice to all the Kings Officers and other Persons that follow the Court he has succeeded the antient Count or Mayor of the Palace which
was an Office that begun with the Monarchy it self He is sworn by the King himself and is received into the Great Council where he takes place as Secretary of State He has the Priviledge to chuse his Lodging after the Princes Dukes and Peers and Marshals of France have chosen theirs for which reason he is called the last in the Ranks He has a Salary of 2000 l. and an annual Gratuity of 8000 l. All the Officers of the Provost-ship are received by his Majesty upon the nomination of the Great Provost and afterwards take out Letters from the King under the Great Seal directed to the Great Council where they are admitted upon those Letters and qualified Judges The Great Provost Judges of all matters both Civil and Criminal hapning between the Officers of the Kings Houshold among themselves or between them and others which are not so The Jurisdiction of the Provostship of the Houshold is the ordinary Court of Justice for the Kings Houshold and therefore from the beginning was ordered to be kept in the Louvre that so the Kings Officers and others of his Court and Retinue having their natural Judge within the Kings House might not be diverted from the service of his Majesty for some years the place where the Provosts Court used to be kept being taken up by the Queen-Mother it was transferred to the Fort-Eveque or Bishops-Fort At present the Officers of the Provostship have their Auditory in the inclosure of the Great Council-Chamber there they have their Hall of Audience their Council-Chamber their Civil and Criminal Records or Registers and there is the Office of the Ushers of the Provostship The present King by a Brief bearing date the 8th of September 1658. declared that he would settle the Seat or Court of the Jurisdiction of the Provost of the Houshold re-established in the Louvre and that he would cause a convenient place there to be marked out and set apart for that purpose The said Court is kept there three times a Week viz. on Tuesday Thursday and Saturday-Mornings People plead there by a Proctor as in other Courts but in a more summary and concise way In civil matters there lies an Appeal from it to the Great Council but in matters Criminal the Great Provost Judges without Appeal as well as the Masters of Requests and those of the Great Council The Officers of the Kings Houshold and those of his Court and Retinue may by special priviledge bring all their Causes into this Court whether they be Civil or Criminal since the Court was chiefly erected in their favour There needs no Committimus to cite any one that belongs to or follows the Court but only an assignation or warning taken out of the Provosts Court by vertue of a Commission out of the Registry there But as the said persons have the priviledge to bring their actions against their Debtors in this Court or to appeal from their Prosecutors thither they may do it if they please by vertue of their Committimus and at their choice bring their Causes either before the Masters of the Requests of the Palace or of the Requests of the Houshold or before the Provost of the Houshold The Great Provost only has power to apply Seals make Inventories and do all other acts of Justice in the Louvre and in the Galleries and other places thereunto belonging and in other Royal Houses within fourteen Leagues distance of Paris as it was determined a Contradictory Sentence of the Council of the 25 of March 1650. given in favour of the Officers of the Provostship of the Houshold against the Officers of the Chatelet He may also take cognisance of all crimes and particular offences and other Causes pro or con any way relating to the people of the Court and of the Kings Retinne and belonging to the Royal Houses and against Vagabonds and of several other Cases with the consent and advice of the other Provosts When he follows the Court any where he Taxes and sets a price upon all Provisions gives assistance for taking of Lodgings if any resistance be made and doth other things necessary for the civil Government there by his Lieutenants of the Long Robe or in their absence by the Lieutenants and Exempts of the short Robe who call to their assistance the Officers or Magistrates and chief Inhabitants of the place When the Court takes a Journey the Great Provost Commands a sufficient number of Tradesmen and Handicrafts-men to follow it to whom he grants Letters of Priviledge by which they are obliged to furnish the Court and its Retinue with all necessaries who are called the Priviledged Tradesmen and by vertue of the said Letters are impowered to keep open Shop in Paris or elsewhere and enjoy several other Exemptions Of the Officers of Judicature belonging to the Provostship of the Houshold For the better administration of Justice to the Officers of the Kings Houshold and to the rest of his Court and Retinue the great Provost has under him two Lieutenants which are put in by the King but named by the Great Provost and are admitted as such in the Great Council where they are sworn There was formerly but one Lieutenant-General the other being but a particular Lieutenant but by an Edict of the Month of September registred in the Great Council the 7th of November following the King made these two Offices equal so that at present there are two Lieutenants-General for both Civil and Criminal matters they have each of them 400 l. Salary and 600 l. gratuity The first of these exercises his Office the first six Months of the Year where the Kings Court is and the other six Months he keeps the Provosts Court at Paris within the Inclosure of the Great Council-Chamber when the King is abroad and the Great-Council at Paris The other serves the latter six Months of the Year at the Kings Court and the first six Months keeps the Provosts Court at Paris for the causes of those that are Officers of any Royal Houses within his Precinct and priviledged persons and others So that there is always two Seats or Courts of Justice of the Great Provost one at Paris for the better expedition of the Causes of the Officers and priviledged Persons belonging to the Royal Houses and another where the Court is when his Majesty is not in Paris as he never is to stay Note That the two Lieutenants the Kings Proctor and the Register of the Provosts Court are allowed each of them at the Salt-Granary at Paris two Minots of Free-Salt that is for paying only some ancient Duties The Kings Proctor there has a Salary of 400 l. 75 l. Augmentation-Money and a gratuity of 1200 l. He serves all the year round and has a Substitute There is one Register in chief both for Civil and Criminal matters who has 104 l. Salary and 400l gratuity He has under him two Commis or Deputies that have the priviledge to wear both Gowns and Caps at
and where they are to be judged too when they are impeacht of any Crime And though in the last Reign it was seen that de facto the Marshal de Marillac was Judged by Delegated Commissaries and the Duke of Montmorency by the Parliament of Toulouze the Parliament of Paris pretends That these two Acts were done against their Priviledges Secondly The Counsellers of the Parliament of Paris pretend a Priviledge to sit in all the other Parliaments without allowing the same Priviledge reciprocally to the Counsellers of the other Parliaments in the Parliament of Paris yet it is to be remarked That the Priviledge of sitting in the Parliament of Paris was granted to the Counsellers of the Parliament of Toulouze by an Ordinance of Charles the Seventh in the year 1454. which the Parliament of Paris refused to verifie whereupon the Parliament of Toulouze made a Decree in the year 1466. by which they Ordained That the Counsellers of the Parliament of Paris should have no Admittance into the Parliament of Toulouze till they had obey'd the abovesaid Ordinance made in their Favour Thirdly The other Parliaments not having that extent of Jurisdiction as the Parliament of Paris have but one Chamber of Inquests the Parliament of Toulouze but two whereas the Parliament of Paris has six The Parliament of Paris opens every year the next day after St. Martins Day in this manner The whole Body being in their Scarlet Robes go to a solemn Mass Celebrated on that occasion in the Great Hall of the Palace after which the Advocates and Proctors are sworn in the Grand Chamber and the Bishop that said Mass has that day Place and a deliberative Voice among them The Parliament continues sitting from that time till the 7th of September after which follows the Vacations During which Recess nevertheless there sits a Chamber called the Chamber of the Vacations which takes Cognisance of those Causes that require speedy dispatch and Criminal Affairs In the five Chambers of Inquests all Processes or Suits are Judged concluded and received by Writing that they may the better discern whether the Appeals made to this High Court of Parliament be made reasonably or no. The fourteen Presidents of the Chambers of Inquests and of those of the Requests which are two are but Counsellers that have accepted that Commission and when the Parliament is met and marches in State they take place among those of the Grand Chamber according to a Regulation of Parliament of the 1st of September 1677. By which it is Ordain'd That in Assemblies Processions and other publick Solemnities these Presidents shall be preceded only by two Counsellers of the Grand Chamber of which the first is to be Titular and the second may be only Honorary As for the Presidents of the Inquests and Requests among themselves they are to take place in their march according to their standing and the order of their admission The Court called the Tournelle-Civil established by Lewis the Great in 1667 and 1669. Judges of all Appeals in civil matters to the value of 1000. Livers or Pounds French and of an Estate of 50 Livers yearly rent It is composed of one President wearing the Mortar-Cap six Counsellers of the Grand Chamber and of four Counsellers out of every Chamber of Inquests who go thither by turns once in three Months The Kings Declaration for this purpose of the year 1669. bears date the 11th of August and was Registred in Parliament and in the Chamber of Accounts the 13th of August The Tournelle-Criminal Judges of all Appeals in Criminal matters excepting those made by Gentlemen and other persons of State which are to be judged in the Grand Chamber it is called the Tournelle because it is composed of two Presidents with Mortar-Caps ten Lay-Counsellers of the Grand Chamber and of two Counsellers out of every Chamber of Inquests which go thither every one Tour à Tour that is in their respective turns once in three Months excepting only those of the Grand Chamber which are there six Months from whence it is called the Tournelle At present there are four Presidents with Mortar-Caps The two Chambers of Requests of the Palace are of the Body of the Parliament according to what Charles the Fifth writ to Cardinal Vivazer in the year 1450. where he says that the Requests are de Gremio Curiae They Judge of all personal Possessory and mixt Causes between priviledged persons that have Committimus's whether they be Officers that are Commoners at Court or others There likewise the Requests of the Houshold composed of the Masters of Request we have spoken of above who take a like cognisance of the Causes of priviledged persons that enjoy Committimus's at whose choice it is to plead either before the Masters of the Requests of the Houshold or before those of the Palace In old time Justice was administred without Appeal by the Bayliffs and Seneschals that the King sent into the respective Provinces for that purpose which were chosen out of the ablest Sages of the Law of his Houshold but since the Parliaments have been Instituted or made fixed and sedentary Appeals are admitted to the Parliaments from the Sentences rendred by the said Bayliffs and Seneschals In fine the Parliament at present consists in all 1. Of one Chief or first President who is named Nicholas Potier Knight Lord of Novion c. and seven other Presidents called Presidents au Mortier or wearing Mortar-Fashioned Caps who are John de Coigneux Marquiss of Montmeliand c. Lewis de Bailleul Marquiss of Chateau-Gontier John-James de Mesmes Count d' Avaux John de Longueville Marquiss of Maisons Charles Colbert Brother to the late Great Minister of State of that Name formerly Ambassadour in England and at Nimmeguen c. and at present Secretary and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and lastly Lewis de Molé Lord of Champlatreux of thirty Clerks or Clergymen Counsellers of Lay-Counsellers of two Advocates and one Proctor-General of 19 Substitutes or Deputies of three Registrers or Recorders in the Chief Registers Office viz. One Recorder Civil and Prothonotary in Chief one Recorder of the Presentations and one Recorder Criminal and of eight other Secretaries and Notaries called the Notaries and Secretaries of the King and of the Parliament two Recorders for the Audiences and Council of the Tournelle five other Deputy Recorders in the five Chambers of Inquests one Recorder in Chief of the Requests of the Palace two other Deputy Recorders under him in each of the two Chambers of Requests 1. First or Chief Usher twenty eight other Ushers of the Parliament and of the Chambers of Inquests and of the Tournelle Eight Ushers of the Requests of the Palace The number of Advocates is not fixed but the Proctors are four hundred in number they have both of them a Dean over them CHAP. XXXII Of the Chamber of Accounts THE Chamber of Accounts is composed of 1. First or Chief President ten other Presidents seventy Masters of the
world and could fix in no place returned at last to this their ancient home finding so fair an opportunity to recover it from the Romans who had been the first occasion of their rambling They are governed chiefly by the Civil Law though they have likewise their Customary Laws peculiar to several Provinces as the Laws in Normandy which were the foundation of several Laws in England since the Norman Conquest Their Religion is the Roman Catholick but yet they are stiff Assertors of the Rights and Priviledges of their particular Church which they call the Gallican Church The Manners of the ancient Gauls as they are described by Caesar and other Historians seem to have been inherited by the present French and to be effects of the Climate for they are very quick-witted and of a nimble apprehension but withal they are generally rash and precipitate impatient hasty inconstant eager and full of fire at the first onset but better at a push than at an obstinate pursuit thus they are naturally But the present King who has much of the sober mixture of a Spaniard in him has made it appear to all Europe That His French well moderated are capable of making as wise discreet and sedate Counsellours as any in the World and as capable of managing secrets which has been thought a thing almost incompatible with the temper of this Nation Then as for Souldiers by providing well for them as for Cloths Victuals and exact pay by good Discipline and by frequent but cautious fleshing them in Wars under experienced and fortunate Commanders and lastly by intermingling Foreign Forces of all Nations with them to stir them up to emulation He has made both his Infantry and Cavalry formidable and it can no more be said now that the French know not how to storm a Town endure the Fatigues of a Siege or rally again when their Ranks are broken As for Commanders they always had store of them and have now the greatest plenty of them and the best of any one Country in Europe This Country has in all Ages produced great numbers of Learned Men of which and of all ingenious Artists their Princes and great Men have in this last Age been very great Encouragers and all the Sons of their Gentry as well those that are designed for Military Employments as for the Gown are bred up at least to a competent knowledge of the Latin Tongue So that as usually it happens under Great and Fortunate Princes they now abound with Great Scholars Great Statesmen and Great Souldiers and their Paris is become the Rendezvous of all the famous Wits and Artists of Europe who flock thither from all places Their Gentry is accomplisht polite and civil to the highest degree They keep up their State and Magnificence with such a Decorum as hinders them not from being familiar and courteous to all the Ceremonies they observe seem natural and they love nothing that is crampt and precise Their Citizens Tradesmen Artisans and very Peasants are generally more civil and courteous to Strangers and in ordinary conversation than those of other Nations They are very airy amorous and full of talk and always in action or motion In bargaining by prevalence of custom they will ask three or four times as much as a thing is worth and will have it if you bargain not and when they buy bid as little but if you stand with them you may buy cheap enough and sell dear enough They are very charitable and good natured and will do any thing for you by spurts if you take them when they are warm They are very quarrelsome and given to Duelling were they not severely restrained but they are easily reconciled and disposed to forget injuries But above all things they are most given to Law-Suits and Contentions there being more Lawyers and Law-Suits there than in all Christendom besides and that between the nearest Relations by which it comes to pass that the Lawyers Judges and other Officers of Justice with the Partisans or Farmers of Taxes are reckoned the richest Body in the Kingdom excepting the Church-men The Women partake less or more according to their Sex in all the Qualities of this Character and are generally very talkative but yet very pleasing in Discourse of a graceful and winning deportment generally good Singers and so free in converse that many Strangers ignorant of their genius are apt at first to mistake them to be what they are not Their punishments for Nobles among which all Gentlemen are reckoned there for smaller offences are Fining and Imprisoning and for greater Confiscation of Lands and Goods Degradation and after that Hanging or Condemnation to the Gallies as meaner persons otherwise Beheading those that are not Gentlemen are Fined or Whipped as here or Hanged for Thefts and some other Crimes but Highway-men Assasinators or wilful Murtherers are generally broken on the Wheel of what Quality soever unless they be favoured Traitors not noble are drawn to pieces by wild Horses or otherwise tormented but Gentlemen are commonly Beheaded Poysoners and Sorcerers are burned Many Crimes there are for which the Criminals are Condemned to the Gallies false Witnesses in Capital Cases are put to Death They use there the torture or Question which is ordinary or extraordinary which is by giving the Party Drenches of Water till they almost burst and tying them up in painful postures France is very populous the number of people being reckoned to be about fifteen Millions of which two hundred and seventy thousand are said to be Church-men besides Nuns about five Millions fit for War Their Language is a mixture of the old Gaulish Gothish Roman and German Tongues not without some smack of the Greek and is now so polished that it is become the sweetest the most courtly and most modish Language of Europe but most especially of the fair Sex and politer part of men It is tender amorous and delicious to the Ear quaint and charming in expression easy enough to learn in part but most difficult to attain in perfection It is rather elegant than copious being not so significant and comprehensive as the English in prose nor so fit for numbers and strong and lofty in Verse yet very melodious when sung and very obedient and plyable to any variety of Airs and Tunes of which they have some of the best and most aiery and sprightly that can be invented Many neat elegant and ingenious works there are in this Language but solid and profound Writers not so many as in some other Tongues Their Stature and Complexion is different according to their quality and according to the different Provinces they inhabit The common people that are exposed to the Sun and hard labour and fare hard besides are commonly not very tall and are tawny tan'd and wither'd both Men and Women but hardy and strong and the Women for their Sex more than the Men. The persons of Quality are generally tall
l. Pension and 300 l. gratification at the end of their quarters Service But the eldest of the four has a Pension of 1000 l. Five other Brigadeers who have the same pay as the precedent ones bating the 300 l. gratification Eight Sub-Brigadeers who have every one 500 l. Pension 30 d. or half a Crown a day constant pay and 20 d. a day more extraordinary when they are actually on duty Four Standard-Bearers who have the same pay as the Sub-Brigadeers One Aid-Major and honorary Brigadeer who Commands in no Quarter but as Brigadeer has a Pension of 600 l. Four Trumpeters whose pay is 66 l. a quarter and one Kettle-Drummer at 200 l. The Cavaliers or Troopers of this Company have 30 d. or half a Crown a day ordinary pay and 20 d. a day extraordinary when they are upon duty There belong to them besides one Almoner or Chaplain who has 30 l. a Month besides the ordinary pay two Chyrurgeons one Farrier and one Sadler at 30 l. a Month each Their Extraordinary pay is paid out of the Kings own private Coffer and their ordinary pay by three Treasurers belonging to the Company The Devise or Emblem born in their Standards is Thunderbolts destroying the Giants with this Motto Sensere Gigantes i. e. The Giants felt them 3. Of the Regiments of Foot-Guards There are two Regiments of Foot-Guards viz. First of French and secondly another of Suissers The French Regiment consists of thirty Companies of a hundred Men in a Company besides four Serjeants These Companies are called by their Captains Names To this Regiment belong these Officers viz. A Colonel who is at present the Duke de la Feuillade whose yearly pay is 10000 l. Each Company has a Captain a Lieutenant a Deputy-Lieutenant an Ensign and four Serjeants and the Colonelry has three Lieutenants three Deputy Lieutenants two Ensigns and six Serjeants there are likewise a Major four Aid-Majors four Sub-Aid-Majors The Captains being thirty in number have 3000 l. a year each the Major as much the two eldest Aid-Majors 2500 l. each the two others but 2000 l. the Sub-Aid-Majors have each of them 1100 l. pay and 900 l. gratuity the Lieutenants 1100 l. the Deputy or Sub-Lieutenants 900 l. the Ensigns 660 l. The first Lieutenant of the Colonelry who is called the Lieutenant-Captain besides his Lieutenants pay has also the pay of a Captain and the Captain of the first Company following besides his Captains pay has the pay of a Lieutenant as being Lieutenant-Colonel More belonging to this Regiment are two chief Muster-Masters or Commissaries of the Conduct and four other Muster-Masters two Marshals of the Lodgings or Quarter-Masters called the Marshals of the Lodgings of the French Guards and of the Regiment of Guards one Provost of the French Bands and of the Regiment of Guards one Lieutenant-Provost one Register twelve Archers or Serjeants belonging to the Provost and one Executioner One Auditour-General of the French Bands two Drum-Majors one Serjeant appointed or Pensioner one Physician with an Aid or Assistant one Apothecary one Chaplain six Commissaries and Comptrollers for the War two other new created Comptrollers two General Treasurers of the Extraordinaries for the War and their Clerks or Deputies and three other General Treasurers for the ordinary pay of the said Regiment Note That the French Regiment of Guards takes always the right hand of the Regiment of the Suisse Guards and when two Sentinels are placed one French and the other Suisser the French-man stands on the right hand side which is to be reckoned with relation to the Kings right hand which changes as he may be going or coming and on all ocsions when his Majesty or other great Persons to whom they owe honours pass by the French make a Rank on the right hand and the Suissers on the left hand of them It is likewise remarkable that the Officers of the French Regiment wear gilt Corslets and the Suissers their only washt over with Silver This Regiment is quarter'd in the several Suburbs and Neighbouring Villages about Paris Of the Suisse-Regiment The Regiment of Suisse-Guards is composed of Suissers and Grisons consisting in all of ten Companies to which is lately added a new Company though they have not yet been on duty near his Majesties Person For the Conduct and Government of these There are Officers general and Officers particular The Officers general have Command not only over this Regiment but over all those of this Nation in the service of France The Officers General are a Colonel-General of the Suissers and Grisons who is at present the Duke de Maine the Kings Natural Legitimated Son by the Dutchess of Montespan who has for himself and twelve Halbardeers that always attend on his Person 74088 l. a year under whom there is a Lieutenant-Captain a Lieutenant a Deputy-Lieutenant an Ensign a Marshal of the Lodgings and another called the Great Harbinger or Quarter-Master an Interpreter a Chyrurgeon Major and an Almoner or Chaplain The General Company has likewise a Court of Justice apart from the Regiment which is the supreme one the Suissers have in France and to which lies their last appeal from other particular ones as we have elsewhere noted to which belong a Great Judge and other Assistants and necessary Officers To the Regiment of Suisse-Foot-Guards belong a Colonel a Lieutenant-Captain or Colonel another Lieutenant a Deputy-Lieutenant and an Ensign besides which because in honour of the several Cantons and places whence they come the King is pleased to join several Captains and other Officers of the same denomination with equal Commissions in one Company because the number of men many times brought by each singly is not sufficient to make a compleat Company alone there are eleven Captains nine Lieutenants nine Deputy Lieutenants and as many Ensigns two Majors one Muster-Master with title of Commissary of the Conduct another Muster-Master called Commissary of the Review or Muster of the ten Companies one Marshal of the Lodgings or Quarter-Master and an Aid one Interpreter two Almoners or Chaplains one Physician one Chyrurgeon-Major and one Auditour of the Bands This Regiment has likewise a peculiar Court of Justice to which belong A Great Judge a Great Provost a Registrer or Recorder the particular Judges of every Company the little Provosts twenty Archers or Serjeants belonging to the Great Judge and an Executioner There are likewise three Treasurers and four Comptrollers of the Regiment The Colonels pay of this Regiment is 1160 l. a Month for himself and 800 l. 8 d. a Month for the Officers of Justice and each Captain receives Monthly for himself and his Officers and to keep his Company compleat 4202 l. 2 d. All the Officers and Souldiers both of the French and Suisse Foot-Guards are obliged to stand to their Arms and to place themselves in two Ranks from the Gate or Draw-bridge outward the French on the right hand and the Suissers on the left the Captains appear at the head of
Horseback divided into six Brigades all about the Neighbourhood of Paris for the security of the Country The Provost of Senlis is Nicholas Bordereau CHAP. XXXVIII Of the Admiralty of France and other Courts kept within the inclosure of the Palace And first Of the Admiralty of France and of Guienne THis Court was formerly held too at the Marble Table but is at present kept in the great Hall of the Palace on that side next the Dauphins Hall It takes cognisance of all Affairs relating to the Admiralty and the splitting of Vessels Shipwracks and Commerce on the Sea both primarily and by way of Appeal and of the abuses and misdemeanours committed by the Officers of the particular subordinate Courts of Admiralty and of other Officers of Maritime Affairs The particular Courts from whence Appeals are made to this are those of Rochelle the Sands of Olonne Marans Callice Boulogâ—e Montreüil Abbeville St. Valery Eu and Hault The present Officers belonging to it are A Lieutenant-General who is the Sieur de Marbrelle and a Lieutenant particular four Counsellours one Proctor for the King one Recorder or Registrer and one Chief Usher The Days of Audience in this Court are Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays There are likewise other Chambers or Courts of Admiralty at Roüen Bourdeaux in Brittany and at Dunkirk and other places Of the Court of the Great Pantler of France This Court takes cognisance of all regulations among the Bakers who are admitted there To it belong A Lieutenant general and particular Mayor and Guardian of the Great Pantry of France who is Nicholas Petit-Jean or Little John one Proctor for the King one Registrer one Chief Usher and 13 Ushers Audiencers that reside some at Paris and some in the Countries The Audience Days in this Court are Mundays and Saturdays Of the Bailywick of the Palace In this Court are these Officers viz. A Bayliff who is Claudius Pelot a Lieutenant General a Proctor for the King and a Registrer This Court judges of all differences arising in the Halls and Court of the Palace The Court of the Masonry Is kept over the Dauphins Hall to it belong Three Counsellours who are Judges general of all Masons work in France The Court called the Court of the Bazoche For the regulation of the Clerks of the Palace and the Court for matters of Justice relating to importing and vending of Sea-Fish are still held too within the inclosure of the Palace And thus having spoke of the Courts of Judicature that are held within the inclosure of the Palace we shall next treat of the others held without it and particularly of the Chatelet or Castle of Paris Which is the ordinary Court of Justice of the City of Paris and the most considerable presidial Court in the Kingdom CHAP. XXXIX Of the Chatelet or Castle of Paris THE Administration of Justice for the Town Provostship and Vicounty of Paris is exercised under the Name of the Provost of Paris and in case of vacancy the Kings Proctor General of the Parliament is Guardian by his place of this Provostship and all Acts passing there during that time run in his name The Officers thereto belonging are A Provost called the Provost of Paris who is Charles-Denis de Bullion Marquiss of Gallerdon c. He had the Grant of this Office the 15th of February 1685. and took the usual Oath for it in Parliament on the 22d of May-following and the same day was solemnly Installed in the Chatelet and put into possession thereof by one of the Presidents à Mortier the Dean of the Lay-Counsellours of the Parliament and the eldest Clergy-man Counsellour of the Grand Chamber He has 8000 Livers yearly Sallary and allowance All Judgments and Sentences given in the Chatelet and all acts of Notaries run in his Name the Assembly of the Nobility of the Provostship of Paris for the Arriere-â—an is held in his House and it belongs to him to Conduct them to the Army This Office was always exercised by Persons of great Quality and Reputation Under him there are the following Officers viz. A Lieutenant Civil who is John le Camus Honorary Master of Requests a Lieutenant for the Policy or Government of the City Gabriel-Nicholas de la Reynie a Lieutenant Criminal James Defita two particular Lieutenants Fifty six Counsellours four Advocates and one Proctor for the King Eight Substitutes two Honorary Counsellours one Chief Recorder or Registrer with divers other Registrers both for Civil and Criminal Affairs and for Audiences Insinuations Presentations and other matters one Chief Usher Audiencer and several other Ushers Audiencers There are likewise belonging to it two Counsellours Judges-Auditours to decide small Suits not amounting to above the summ of 25 Livers one Registrer in Chief of the Auditours and one Chief Usher and two other Ushers-Audiencers of the said Auditours 48 Commissaries and 113 Notaries Together with the Proctors Ushers on Porseback and Ushers carrying Wands and the Ushers of the Provostship of Paris By the Edicts and Declarations of the present King Registred in Parliament the 7th of September 1684. The Court of the New Chatelet Created in 1674. was reunited to that of the old one and accordingly the Offices of Provost of Lieutenant-General Civil and Lieutenant-General Criminal were supprest as likewise that of Kings Proctor of the old Chatelet The Lieutenant Criminal of the Short-Robe of the Provostship and Vicounty of Paris is Reny Chrisanthe le Clere Baron of Sauteray c. He has under him four Lieutenants seven Exempts and 100 Archers or Guards which are also Ushers at the Chatelet The Provost of the Isle of France of whom we have already spoken has also under him several Lieutenants Exempts and Archers or Guards for the Execution of his Sentences and Judgments The Knight of the Watch has likewise under him four Lieutenants eight Exempts one Registrer one Comptroller and Clerk of the Watch one Guidon 40 Archers or Guards on Horseback and 100 on Foot that wear blue Hoquetons or Jackets set with Stars of Silver Besides which number there is a recruit as well of Horse and Foot which is much stronger in Winter than in Summer As for the solemn and Ceremonial Habits of the Officers of the Chatelet they are these The three Lieutenants-General the Kings Advocates and Proctors wear Scarlet-Robes and the Counsellours black ones Formerly there were several little Courts of Judicature held by the several Lords who had their peculiar Jurisdictions in the City Suburbs and Banlieu or Liberties of Paris which were suppressed upon the Creation of the Court of the new Chatelet in the Month of February 1674 and their Jurisdictions incorporated into the Courts of the old and new Chatelets which are now made but one as is abovesaid Having spoken of the ordinary Jurisdiction of the City we will proceed next to treat of the ordinary Jurisdiction for the Taxes Aids and other Dues to the King which is the ordinary Court of Justice for Pari as it